Business Digest Radio

Colorado Springs is at a consequential point in its economic development and Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer says the region must approach it with confidence, facts and intentional growth. In this episode of The Business Signal, the president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC joins host Dirk Hobbs to examine a number of active conversation and efforts in the community:
 
First out of the gate: The proposed Project Taurus data center, the safeguards surrounding it and what the City Council decision could signal to companies and site selectors considering the region. (9/17/2026)
The conversation widens to Colorado Springs’ competitive strengths on a national level: A highly educated workforce, a substantial veteran population, quality-of-life assets and a nationally significant aerospace and defense ecosystem. Kleymeyer explains how primary employers generate broader opportunity across construction, retail, healthcare, education and professional services - and why advanced manufacturing, space, national defense and support infrastructure remain central to the region’s future.
She also discusses retaining existing employers, reducing regulatory burdens, developing local talent, and investing ahead of growth.
Her closing challenge is direct: business leaders cannot remain on the sidelines. They must enter the arena, engage elected officials and help shape a region that grows intelligently while preserving what makes Southern Colorado exceptional. 
https://coloradospringschamberedc.com 

Join us as Angela Seals, Executive Director of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region or COPPR, visits with host Dirk Hobbs on the region's creative industry sectors and how businesses can get involved to support our thriving talent. 
 
https://www.culturaloffice.org/

CommonSpirit Health Greater Colorado and Kansas Market President Pete Powers joins host Dirk Hobbs on the Business Signal for a candid conversation about the rapidly changing health care landscape across Southern Colorado.
Powers discusses CommonSpirit’s commitment to its southern Colorado regional hospitals, the importance of maintaining access to quality care, rural health access and the role of technology, and the realities of operating a complex health system amid rising costs, workforce pressures and growing community needs. He also addresses the role of Penrose, St. Francis and CommonSpirit’s other regional facilities, while explaining how the organization evaluates services, investments and opportunities for future growth.
The conversation moves beyond hospital operations to examine how CommonSpirit as a major health care systems can partner with southern Colorado employers directly to help lower overall costs for area organizations and their workforce. 
CommonSpirit is also a major regional employer, economic driver and essential community institution. Powers shares his leadership perspective and explains why trust and a clear sense of mission remain central to delivering effective care and maintaining strong relationships with physicians and other key strategic partnerships.
Listen for an informative discussion about where Southern Colorado health care stands - and where it may be headed next.
https://mountain.commonspirit.org
https://socodigest.com/#radio
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#CommonSpirit, #healthcare #healthcarecosts #ruralhealth #kvorAM740 #SoCoBusinessDigest

In this episode of The Business Signal, Dirk Hobbs speaks with InBank Founder, president and CEO Ed Francis about InBank’s ($1.4B) proposed merger with FNBO ($35B) and what the next chapter could mean for customers, employees and communities across southern Colorado and New Mexico. The merger is still pending approval which is estimated to be finalized January 1, 2027.
The conversation examines the importance of preserving InBank’s emphasis on personal relationships, local decision-making and experienced banking teams while gaining access to FNBO’s broader resources and what triggers banks such as FNBO look at markets like southern Colorado for investment. The completion of this merger will extend FNBO's Colorado footprint to 30 locations - nine of which represent  the southern Colorado offices currently branded InBank. FNBO's current Colorado locations are in north Denver, Ft. Collins and northern Colorado. 
Customers are expected to see no immediate changes (until mid 2027), while the completed merger, would eventually provide expanded mortgage, credit-card, private-banking and wealth-management services- as well as greater lending capacity for commercial clients.
Francis will continue leading InBank’s existing markets following the merger. It is a timely discussion about growth, culture and what business owners should expect as two deeply rooted banking organizations prepare to come together.
https://inbank.com 
https://fnbo.com 

Joe Aldaz, president of the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber, joins Dirk Hobbs for a conversation about the organization’s work, the needs of Hispanic-owned businesses, and the value of stronger connections across the regional business community.
Aldaz discusses the chamber’s role in helping entrepreneurs gain access to relationships, information, resources, and opportunities that can support long-term growth. He also reflects on leadership, representation, and the importance of ensuring that Hispanic business owners have a meaningful voice in Southern Colorado’s economic future.
The discussion examines both the progress being made and the practical challenges that remain for small and emerging companies. Throughout the interview, Aldaz emphasizes collaboration rather than isolation, explaining why chambers, established employers, community leaders, and entrepreneurs all benefit when they work together.
The episode offers listeners a grounded look at the chamber’s mission, its developing influence, and the broader economic contribution of Hispanic businesses throughout the Colorado Springs region.
https://cshispanicchamber.com 

Child care is not simply a family issue—it is workforce and economic infrastructure. In this episode of The Business Signal, host Dirk Hobbs speaks with SherryLynn Boyles, president and CEO of Joint Initiatives for Youth + Families, about the shortage of affordable child care across the Pikes Peak region.
Boyles explains how limited capacity affects parents’ ability to work, employers’ ability to recruit and retain talent, and children’s long-term development. The conversation also explores Joint Initiatives’ collaborative model, bringing agencies, educators, providers, employers, and community leaders together to reduce fragmented access to services.
Listeners will learn why solving the crisis requires more providers, stronger support for the early-childhood workforce, sustainable funding, and greater employer involvement. The message is direct: businesses cannot treat child care as someone else’s problem. Employers, policymakers, providers, and residents all have a role in building a system that allows families—and the economy—to thrive.
Engage - Learn - Be a difference maker!
https://jointinitiatives.org 
https://kidsstongstart.org 

Dawn Dawson, Chief Marketing Officer at Mortgage Solutions Financial and founder of Reflections Advertising, joins The Business Signal for a practical conversation about how businesses should rethink marketing in an era shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, and rapidly changing customer behavior.
Dawson argues that many companies have modernized their operations while allowing their marketing to remain outdated. Customers now begin with Google, online reviews, social platforms, and increasingly AI-powered search tools. That means businesses must make their value easy to discover, understand, trust, and ultimately buy.
The discussion emphasizes translating technical capabilities into customer outcomes. Buyers are less interested in complicated terminology than in whether a company can solve a problem, deliver reliably, and stand behind its work. Dawson encourages businesses to turn their expertise into visible proof through short videos, employee interviews, case studies, FAQs, blogs, and measurable examples of problems solved.
She also challenges leaders to abandon familiar but ineffective tactics, focus on revenue rather than vanity metrics, and regularly reassess where customers are looking. While AI can improve speed and efficiency, Dawson warns against automating away the human story. Technology should support stronger relationships, clearer communication, and greater trust - not replace the people who give a business credibility.

Max Cupp, Executive Director of Exponential Impact joins host, Dirk Hobbs The Southern Colorado Business Signal to discuss what it takes to build, fund and scale promising young companies in Southern Colorado.
The conversation explores the realities facing early-stage founders, the importance of experienced mentorship and strong professional networks, and Exponential Impact’s role in connecting entrepreneurs with the resources, relationships and guidance they need to grow. Cupp also discusses the broader opportunity to strengthen Colorado Springs as a nationally competitive center for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
https://exponentialimpact.com 
https://socodigest.com 

Davis Tutt and Rands Keasler from the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation join host Dirk Hobbs on The Southern Colorado Business Signal for a wide-ranging conversation about the growing economic and civic influence of sports in Olympic City USA.
The discussion looks beyond the competition itself to examine what major sporting events generate for the region: hotel stays, restaurant and retail activity, national exposure, community participation and opportunities to attract future events and investment.  The team explains their recent big win in recruiting the World Lacrosse Sixes Championships to Colorado Springs in October 2027. This is the qualifying event for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, which will bring an estimated 10,000 new visitors to Colorado Springs for two weeks. 
The guests explain the extensive work required behind the scenes to recruit, organize and successfully execute events involving athletes, spectators, volunteers, sponsors, venues and community partners. They also discuss how established traditions and newly secured competitions strengthen Colorado Springs’ reputation as a destination capable of hosting events with regional, national and international significance.
The conversation makes clear that sports are more than entertainment. They are an economic-development asset, a source of civic pride and an important part of the region’s identity.
Listen to the full episode for an inside look at how the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation turns sporting events into lasting value for Southern Colorado.
STILL COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER: https://sportscorp.org 
Labor Day Lift Off (September 5-7)
Pikes Peak Regional Air Show (September 19-20)
PLUS: Save the date: Pikes Peak Sports Economy Report (December 9)
 

Mitchell Roth, co-founder and CEO of Culinova (formerly Roth Industries), joins Dirk Hobbs on The Southern Colorado Business Signal for a conversation about entrepreneurship, food manufacturing and the next stage of growth for one of Colorado Springs’ most ambitious homegrown companies.
Culinova is building a national prepared-foods platform around restaurant-quality products, advanced manufacturing and the ability to respond quickly to changing consumer tastes. Roth discusses the company’s evolution, the realities of scaling a manufacturing business and why speed, innovation and operational discipline have become increasingly important in the food industry.
The conversation also explores Culinova’s anticipated entry into the public markets in 2027 and what that transition could mean for the company, its employees, investors and the broader Colorado Springs business community.
It is a candid look at the decisions, risks and persistence required to take a locally founded enterprise from an entrepreneurial idea to a company preparing for its next major chapter.
https://culinova.com